Are you staining the cedar or just going to let it gray naturally? That would be so beautiful with the corrugated steel. If staining, can you find a contrasting gray? If not, can you find still a gray that contrasts well with the steel, rather than trying to match a wood stain? I'm not big on high contrast, so perhaps those aren't answers for you. But your home is beautiful!! Christine

I tested a bunch of stains. I like the Defy Butternut color on our rough sawn cedar (#8, lower right corner) but on the smooth cedar it looks a little red/orange. I think we will solve that by keeping the ceiling of our gazebo natural w/ a poly coat and do the outside and pillars with the defy butternut. Second picture is our gazebo (upper left) and two inspiration pics of the color I am trying to get. Bottom right are my samples, Defy Butternut is the closest I found.

I have been looking for the answer on LP's website but can't find it. I have read online that the OLD way to install siding was to put trim on then butt siding up next to it. The new way is to always install siding first. However that is not on LP's website. It looks to me that the siding should go first. Then the trim should go on top of the siding. Then water would have less of a chance to go between the two. Thanks for your advice.

Hi partim, Yes, I like the idea of a greyed-out sage! I'll look at Benjamin Moore... Thank you for thinking through the arrangement of the room. I have messed with that myself, moving the bed around etc. We did have version of what you suggest going at one point. However, the door and closet placement on your drawings are the reverse in actuality. So, the wall that the bed would sit against, to the left, is next to the closet but also on the same wall as the side window, which causes an awkward "centering" of the bed on the wall. The bed can't block the window, because it's a low corner window, and it can't be centered on the wall between the window and closet, because then it would be too close and the closet door wouldn't open. As well, the bed can't go on the opposing wall, with the door entry next to it, because there's not enough space for the door to open inward with a queen size bed there. It's a bit frustrating to figure out! I can't seem to find an arrangement that looks good and provides some useful open space. The high window (on the wall directly ahead) is in fact centered, even though my pictures may not give that impression, and so could accommodate a centered bed with matching tables/small dressers on each side... I like your open closet idea. It would open up the room and is often more functional. I thought about an open closet or a curtained closet with a built in dresser, for a more finished look. But, three issues: then there would be no hanging space, and there is very little storage in the house (no hall closet), so we have to keep extra linens, blankets, towels, etc in this room, and a closet is a nice way to tuck them away. As well, it turns out the the bathroom behind the closet has plumbing accessed through this closet, which I can't seal up... I am a big fan of walls hooks, so perhaps if I move the dresser into one side the closet, and put a luggage rack or shelf/shelves in the alcove, I could also line the alcove with hooks. Thank you again. I so appreciate the time and input.